Women in Business: 4 Ways to Tap Into Your Power on Social Media

Women are the key to social media. A new international study by indaHash (the technology platform that connects brands to agencies) of over 2,200 digital influencers reports that 68 percent of social media influencers are female. This means we are the go-to source for social media users on everything from new ideas and opinions, to which products to buy and trends to follow.

We are the new media.

Whether you’re launching an organization, building your personal brand, or pursuing your purpose in political activism, here’s what the indaHash report says about how to become a powerful influence on social media:

Content Counts. You need to create valuable content and post often. Top influencers (those with over 4,000 followers) post content in social media at least 1-3 times a day, and they spend a lot of time preparing it. While some influencers make a living out of social media and others treat it more as a hobby or passion, the most engaging all have a vision, invest time in learning new skills, and try to stay professional, indaHash reports.

Follow Influencers in Your Industry. Find leaders who inspire you on your journey. Today’s top influencers spend their time on social media instead of TV- a whopping 83 percent say they prefer to follow real people instead of traditional media. By turning to other social media users in your space, you can engage with their existing audience while building your own. Tag other influencers when sharing relevant content to network and build relationships.

Pick Your Platform Wisely. Facebook continues to be the most popular social media platform and the number of older adults joining is increasing, according to a 2016 study by the Pew Research Center. Nearly 80 percent of online Americans use Facebook, more than double the percentage who use Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Instagram is still the darling among young adults (59 percent are ages 18-29), while Twitter users are more likely to be college educated. LinkedIn still mostly attracts recent college graduates and high income earners (with household income over $75,000). Think about who you want to reach: Women in business or politics? Moms interested in home decor? Foodies? Choose the right social media site for your demographic.

Spend on Social Media. While traditional advertising is losing effectiveness, influencer marketing is growing as a way to reach mainstream audiences. But creating valuable content, engaging with your followers, and networking with other industry influencers while building your audience takes time- a commodity in short supply as you’re also running your business. This is why it can pay to allocate funds for social media influencers in the marketing budget. Technology platforms like indaHash can help your brand identify and reach smaller influencers (between 1,000 and 100,000 followers) for better engagement with your audience.

“Building a social media following has been a huge learning curve that required me to work 50+ hours a week for the first few years,” says Carol Doyel, LivingBetter50.com‘s Founder and Editor-in-Chief. “My advice for anyone developing an online business is to invest in professional support for website management and digital and social media strategies. We can’t do it all.”

If you’re planning to take advantage of this time to finally pursue that small business you’ve been dreaming of launching for decades, one thing is certain- you’ll need social media to build your brand.

As a woman, this is an exciting opportunity to connect with your community- and even unleash your power to influence others.

About Vanessa Sheets

Vanessa Sheets is a freelance journalist who specializes in fitness, health, and nutrition. She has written for True North, Natural Child, Newport Health, and Greenmaple Wellness and worked in public health as a community educator for a non-profit. She lives in Bend, Oregon.